Burdens
by denise1
Summary: Sometimes the burdens of life are jsut too much


Burdens

By

Adi and Denise

Teal'c stepped out of the gate squinting a bit at the bright sun of P3C927. He moved away from the stargate to both clear the way for the arrival of the rest of SG-1 and to survey the surroundings.

  True all their previous surveys of the planet had revealed no signs of sentient life or obvious threats but as O'Neill was fond of saying, the MALPs were worthless.

  A slight slurping sound announced the arrival of the rest of his team. Teal'c glanced back to see Colonel O'Neill, Daniel Jackson and Major Carter exit the gate, each descending the short flight of steps and casting a watchful eye around. They too were experienced enough with gate travel to know to expect the unexpected.

  The quartet moved out in an orchestrated silent manner that spoke of their years together. Usually those years and the sense of family comforted him. But lately that sense of kinship was off, as O'Neill would say. There was a tenseness, an uncomfortableness between them that hadn't been there just a few months before.

  Part of the blame lay with him he knew. While the others had professed their understanding and forgiveness of his actions while under Apophis' control, he had yet to forgive himself.

  He had full memory of all he'd said and done during those weeks, the ways he'd attempted and in a few cases, succeeded in betraying them. And those memories still hurt. He'd seen the mistrust in their eyes and at times feared he'd see it again. He had tried to rectify the situation by swearing he'd use that fear as motivation to prove to them his total loyalty.

  But he wasn't the only member of the team carrying such a burden. He cast an inquisitive glance at the lone female member of the group, noting the same guarded, reserved look on her face that she'd had for weeks. Her serious expression was an odd one given that Major Carter was usually the most open member of the quartet. In recent weeks however, he'd noticed her withdrawing further and further into herself, much like she had immediately after her possession by Jolinar.

  This time the distancing was as much physical as it was mental. She rarely joined them for meals when they were at the SGC and even off-world he'd noticed her keeping her distance, almost as if she feared coming into contact with any of them. Even Doctor Fraiser had commented on her friend's behavior, saying that it had been weeks since the major had spent any time with Cassandra.

  At first they had all attributed her behavior to anger at how the whole situation with Orlin had been handled. While Teal'c had understood the concerns of the SGC and their fear that she had been mentally incapacitated, he could also understand her frustration at not being believed. Considering all they had witnessed and participated in in the last five years, he did not consider 'there's an invisible alien in my house' to be an unbelievable statement.

  But as time passed and her mood remained the same they realized the cause had to be more than mere pique, they just could not figure out what it was. All of them had tried to speak to her about it, and they had all been politely but firmly rebuffed.

  "Correct me if I'm wrong Carter, but isn't your sample site right over there?" Jack said, breaking into the silence and pointing towards a small range of hills.

  "Yes sir. There are caves there and the strongest readings of naquadah," Sam replied dutifully.

  "Aah. See. I do read your reports," Jack answered with a grin as he led the way to the hills, Sam silently falling into step behind him.

  Noting the lack of response, Teal'c met DanielJackson's gaze.   "It's gonna be one of those days," the younger man replied, falling into line with Teal'c behind him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

  Sam slipped the last vial of dirt into the protective case and snapped the lid shut, cocooning the glass vials in a protective environment of soft foam. She looked over at her friends situated at the base of the foothills and felt a sharp pang cut through her stomach. God she missed them. She so desperately wanted nothing more than to go over to them and again be a part of the group, but she didn't dare.

  As she stared at the trio gathered in front of the mouth of the largest cave she stuck her hand in her jacket pocket and fingered the irregularly shaped object that had become a sort of perverted talisman in recent weeks. In all reality she hated the disgusting thing. But she hated what it represented even more. Maybe they were wrong, but she couldn't take the chance. The stakes were just too high.

  "Yo Carter. You finished?" she heard the colonel yell.

  "Yes sir," she answered back, taking her hand out of her pocket and getting to her feet. She picked up the sample case and walked over to rejoin the rest of SG-1. Maybe she wasn't a member of the group anymore, but at least she could pretend.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

  Jack sat on the large rock at the mouth of the cave absently watching the rest of his team. Teal'c was off a bit playing sentry. Those Jaffa augmented senses of his were a tactical advantage Jack wasn't above using. Daniel was seated just a few feet away making notes on the different layers of the sedimentary rocks this hill face was made of and comparing them with MALP and UAV images. The chances of a ruin looked slim but given the geological makeup of the rocks in the area, fossils were a distinct possibility. And while paleontology wasn't the man's specialty, he knew enough to judge if the planet warranted a second exploration.

And Carter…Carter was off a bit getting her samples. Nothing unusual about that. She was the designated dirt gatherer after all. He just wasn't used to her being quite so…quiet about it. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a nice incomprehensible argument with her. She was the model of a perfect second, and it bored him to tears.

  "Daniel.."

  "I'm ready to go when you are. There might be something here but it'd likely take an in-depth survey," he interrupted.

  "What? No. Well yeah, ok but…have you been able…" Jack nodded towards Sam.

  Daniel followed his gaze and shook his head. "No. She won't talk to me either. I don't know what I've done. I mean the last time she was ticked off at you she still talked to Teal'c and I."

  "I know she was mad after they bugged her house but….that wasn't us and she knows it. I don't know what I've done, hell it's like being married again except I can't…." Jack trailed off.

  Daniel looked up to see a slight flush cross his friend's face. "Yeah, trying for 'make-up sex' would probably make things worse," he said with a grin.

  "That or get me killed."

  "Jack, have you tried just asking her?"

  "I thought of that. I ask her she'll take it as an order and get madder."

  "When we get back we could get Teal'c to kidnap her, withhold chocolate until she cracks," he suggested wryly.

  Jack gave him a sharp look. "I'm gonna forget you suggested that. Actually, I'm gonna remember it's your idea. That way she'll know who to kill." He sighed and got to his feet. "If you say it's a bust why don't we just go home," he said, privately wondering if making her talk would work. "Yo Carter. You finished?" he called, noting that she'd just been sitting there for a minutes.

  "Yes sir," she answered.

  He watched her gather her stuff and walk his way. "Daniel says his rocks are just rocks this time so if you're done I'm all for packing it up and heading home," he said as she got closer.

  "Yes sir," she answered, unclipping her pack from her vest so she could slip the sample case into it, freeing up her hands. Jack and Daniel walked past her, both eager to get home. She closed her pack and Teal'c reached out to help her clip it back on. "Thanks," she said with a small smile.

   He nodded then paused, cocking his head. She shot him a wary look, "Teal'c, what's wrong?"

  He shook his head slightly. "I do not know. My primta is disturbed." he brought one hand up to his belly, his other one gripping his staff weapon tightly.

  Sam reached for her rifle, her eyes darting around. She heard a low rumble and her gaze shot skyward. It didn't sound like a ship. There was a sudden clatter and she jumped as a small rock bounced next to her, narrowly missing her head. "What the…."

  Teal'c stiffened and shot his gaze upward. With a sudden move, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pushed her forward, into the cave. Thrown off balance Sam could hardly roll as she was thrown into the cave as it looked like the whole sky started to fall, boulders and rocks careening down like a giant sized hailstorm. She felt herself roll and fall into the damp darkness of the cave then she felt no more.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

  Her head hurt. Her head hurt and she couldn't remember where she was. Those two realizations that Sam came to when she . . . well . . . came to. And since in her experience having a headache while not remembering where you were was never good news, she decided to keep her eyes closed until at least one of the situations resolved itself.

  She was lying on something hard . . . or rather many little hard things. It reminded her of the one time she had allowed Daniel to clear the camp space. The caffeine addicted archeologist had slept soundly that night . . . she however had spent the next day staring at the back of his head trying to make it explode.

  _Ok, so I'm lying on rocks. _She thought very carefully trying not to aggravate her headache too much. _Why am I lying on rocks? I have very clear memories of waking up this morning . . . too early, briefing. OK planet, rumble . . . Teal'c . . ._

  "Teal'c!!" Sam sat up quickly fighting the pain and nausea that rolled over her waves, going in and out to the time of the pounding in her head. Keeping her eyes closed and hands over her temples she managed to calm herself by taking deep breaths. Soon the nausea faded and her brain felt less like someone was trying to drill a hole in her skull and more like someone was tightening a rope around it. "Teal'c!" She called out again. Still no response.

  Taking a deep breath Sam opened her eyes. Nothing. Nothing but darkness, which, while being a relief to her abused head, did not help her growing panic. After a few minutes of fumbling around in her pack, she finally managed to grab her flashlight.

  It was rocky, humid, dank and it was a cave, not much more could be said about it. Except that it had an unconscious Jaffa half lying half sitting against the stone wall.

  A voice that strangely seemed to come from her pocket laughed. _Again! _It whispered to her, _It's happening again!! See? They were right . . . they were right._

  Quickly she scrambled over to him desperately praying. _Don't let him be dead. Don't let him die, don't let-_

  He was breathing, the relief was almost a tangible thing, a blanket that for a moment smothered that stupid, stupid talisman's voice.

  "Teal'c," she called, hands hovering in constant motion, trying to figure out how to wake him. "Teal'c wake up." Finally she reached behind his head to make sure that he wasn't bleeding. "Please."

  "MajorCarter . . ." It was, she thought, the sweetest sound she had heard in a long time.

She sat back with a sigh of relief. "You ok?" She looked him carefully. His shirt was ripped in several places, as were his pants . . . but other than that he seemed unharmed.

  "I was injured when several rocks fell on me . . . but my symbiote has already healed the worst of the wounds."  He spoke in that cool tone of voice he had, it was very soothing. "How did you fare in the avalanche?"

  Sam moved so she was sitting against the wall of the cave next to him, resting her flashlight between their bodies. "My head's throbbing, I think I might have a small concussion. Nothing other than that though." He might have nodded . ..  She wasn't sure.

Her eyes adjusting to the dim light she once again scanned the cave. The cavern they were in wasn't large, maybe twenty feet square with a ceiling about 10 feet high or so, dotted randomly with stalactites. She could see the faint shimmer of a small stream just a few feet away. Now that she could see it, she could also hear the faint dripping of water and feel the chill dampness on her skin. This was one of those places she could imagine native peoples using as a natural refrigerator.

Due to the moisture, what dirt that there was in the cave was actually more mud than soil. A quick glance confirmed that both hers and Teal'c's clothes were muddy and wet, not a good thing when one wanted to conserve body heat.

'Carter? Teal'c?' The colonel's voice sounded horribly loud in the silence of the subterranean cave.

"We're here sir," she answered, immensely grateful to hear his voice.

'You two ok?'

Sam glanced over at Teal'c who had just gained his footing. "Pretty much sir. Nothing permanent." Thank God. "You and Daniel?"

'Nothing to write home about. What's your situation?' He asked. She could hear him slipping into full commander mode.

"We have our packs sir and there's a water source in the cave," she said, again scanning their environs with her light. "It looks relatively stable, I think the entrance didn't collapse but is only blocked by debris."

'Can you see any light?'

Sam clicked off her flashlight and Teal'c did the same. "No, O'Neill," he said, turning his back on. "I would estimate approximately six feet of rocks and debris are blocking the entrance," he said, walking up to the pile and studying it carefully.

'How big is the cave? Will you guys have enough air?'

"I think so sir. The stream in here is flowing from somewhere. I think the biggest problem will be light."

'If you two can, start working on the entrance. I'd love to just blow our way in there but right now I don't know if an explosion would do more harm than good. I'm going to send Daniel back for help.'

The radio clicked off and Sam played the beam of her light over the entrance. That was one big rock pile, she thought. Tons of rock. She could never…she glanced at her teammate…no she would. He would not die in here, not if there was anything she could do about it.

She resolutely picked up a large rock and tossed it aside, Teal'c started doing the same. He would get out of here, if it was the last thing she ever did.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jack pulled another rock from the slide, cursing as he scraped his knuckles. He heaved it aside and stood up, arching his back to relieve the cramps. Damn he was getting too old for this.

He picked up his canteen and took a drink, glancing at his watch. Four hours. Daniel had been gone four hours. That left at least one before he got to the gate, then one more at least to scramble the rescue team and get them back, then five for the hike. Maybe longer since planetary night was falling.

Something splashed on his hand and he looked up to see the dark clouds billowing overhead. Rain. Great. That was JUST what he needed.

Cursing colorfully in an array of languages that would impress his archaeologist friend he applied himself again to the rocks. Why the hell couldn't they ever get the easy missions?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

'How are you doing?' Teal'c heard O'Neill say through the radio. He waited for MajorCarter to respond and when she didn't he glanced over at her.

She was moving rocks, the focus of her attention seemingly not extending beyond the few feet in front of her.

'Carter? Teal'c?' He could now hear the worry in the man's voice.

"We are well, O'Neill," he answered, cringing a bit at the lie. Physically they may be well but mentally….

'Look, I'm taking a break for a couple of hours. It's night and raining cats and dogs. I suggest you guys do the same. Daniel should be back with more manpower in the morning and we'll have the two of you out in no time.'

"We will do that, O'Neill." Teal'c looked at MajorCarter who was still moving rocks, oblivious to the conversation. With a sigh he walked over to her. He had seen her like this once before, in the mine on P3R636. During those days of their forced labor he had watched both her and O'Neill slip almost into a trance, each working at their appointed task until they were stopped or their bodies stopped.

"Major Carter?" She ignored him, or more likely, didn't even hear him. "Major Carter?" he repeated, taking her arm and preventing her from picking up another rock.

"Wha…" She looked up at him with unfocused eyes.

"Major Carter it is time to rest," he said, pulling her away from the rock fall.

"But…no. I'm not done. There's still…" she tried to pull her arm from his grasp.

"Daniel Jackson is bringing assistance. It will arrive in the morning. For now we must rest so we can travel back to the stargate when they liberate us." He pulled her further from the entrance, his eyes scanning the dimness for a relatively dry spot in the cave.

He found a small protrusion of soil that stood higher than the rest of the cave and sat her down upon it.

He picked up his canteen and pressed it into her hand. She drank automatically, her eyes straying to the entrance.

Keeping a watchful eye on her he tore open  an MRE and placed the food in her hands, wondering what kind of battle he would have to fight to get her to eat it.

He found the Tau'ri's idea of rations barely edible when heated, cold they were nearly intolerable. But she needed to eat. Not only had they been working ceaselessly all day but also it was very cool in the cave, and the human body needed nourishment to generate heat.

He regretted that their supply of sterno was with O'Neill and given the barren nature of the cave, any kind of fire was impossible. He could feel the chill seeping into his bones and knew his human friend would be feeling it more keenly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sam automatically ate the food Teal'c gave her, forcing herself not to gag. She was hungry but cold spaghetti was repulsive.

Resolutely she ate as she calculated their progress. They hadn't moved nearly enough rock. They had to do better; she had to do better. It was all her fault that Teal'c was trapped in here. He'd been trying to save her, why she couldn't quite figure out. He'd pushed her into the cave to keep her from being buried under the rock and it was all her fault that they were buried alive.

Finishing her food she set the trash aside and shoved her hands into her pockets in an attempt to warm them a bit. In the past few hours her fingers had grown so numb from the cold that she'd ceased to really feel them. Her right hand encountered the talisman and she grasped it, squeezing the ugly thing.

_It's going to happen again_, it mocked her. _He's going to die and it's all your fault._

It's not my fault.

He thinks you're worth saving. I don't know why. Think of all the lives he'd save if he'd just let you be crushed.

"Major Carter?" Teal'c cut off the talisman's mocking.

"Yeah?"

"We should sleep," he suggested, picking up his pack and pulling out his survival blanket. He laid it out on a smooth part of ground. She reached for hers to follow suit.

"The atmosphere of the cave is not conducive to human health. We would be more comfortable if we were to share sleeping space."

Sam frowned and thought a moment. "You're saying in the interest of warmth we should share body heat?" she asked, an unfamiliar smile creeping across her face. It was the most eloquent invitation she'd ever had.

"Indeed. I believe you and O'Neill implemented a similar practice in Antarctica."

"Yes we did. But if I hear one crack about your sidearm," she said, walking over to him and laying her blanket over his.

He lay down on his side and she followed his example, spooning up to him. He laid one arm across her stomach and she sighed. It had been so long she'd forgotten what human contact was like.

Maybe things were going to be ok, she thought as sleep claimed her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Teal'c crooned words in his native tongue as he again soothed his teammate back to sleep. This was not the first time since they'd lain down to rest that nightmares had plagued the woman. Each time he had been able to ease her back to sleep.

This was one positive thing to come from the experience. He now could confirm his suspicions as to what was upsetting the woman. Once they attained their freedom he would speak with O'Neill and Daniel Jackson about what to do.

A sound impinged upon his planning. A sound he had not heard before. In the total darkness of the cave he'd depended upon his hearing to monitor his surroundings.

Careful not to wake his slumbering companion, he reached for his flashlight and snapped it on.

His stomach sank as he sat up, blinking in hope that the image would change. It did not. "O'Neill," he barked into the radio as he reached out to shake Sam awake.

"What?"

'Huh? Teal'c, What's wrong?'

"O'Neill, our time is short. The cave is flooding," he said shooting to his feet. He heard Sam also stand up and turn on her light.

They both stared at their surroundings. While they had slept the small stream had more than tripled in size. The narrow ledge they'd slept on was part of a tiny area of the cave that was not under water.

'How bad?' Teal'c could hear the sleep fading from Jack's voice, replaced by concern.

"We must make our escape soon," he said, warily eyeing the water. Was he seeing things or was the water rising as he watched?

'Ok. Daniel should be back soon. You two get at it, I'm going to try something.'

Teal'c released the radio and made his way over to the entrance of the cave, picking up his staff weapon as he went. Maybe he could use it as a lever.

Both he and Sam applied themselves to the rocks with renewed vigor, each tossing the rocks behind them, fueled by desperation.

By mid-morning the water was already halfway up to Sam's knees. Her fingers were stiff, her lips a disturbing shade of blue and she could no longer feel her toes.

  Teal'c watched her with a worried eye, she was so focused on moving rocks that she didn't seem to notice how hard she was shaking. He would have forced her to stop and rest if there had been a dry place left to rest upon. However he knew the cold was their enemy now, an enemy that could only be kept at bay if they kept moving.

  They worked in silence, Teal'c because he was Teal'c and Sam because her nearly hypothermic mind kept taunting her with images of deaths and constant recriminations. She didn't fight the pictures or words but instead tried to find reasons for the pain she caused others.

  _Karma,_ she reasoned. _Maybe I denied love in a previous life and so am doomed to walk alone in this one. _She giggled internally at her thinking. _Or maybe I just killed all my lovers and don't deserve them now._

  Her numb fingers dropped a large stone and it splashed into the water, just missing her big toe, not that she would have felt it if it hadn't.

  _Water's getting deep,_ She thought getting a brief respite from the guilt. _And it's so cold. Why hasn't someone turned on the heat? It's like Antarctica in here. Antarctica, I was there wasn't I? With someone . . . with . . . with . . . with? Anyway it was cold. The Colonel! That's who I was with. Wasn't he injured? Did he die? He must have, everyone else did. Oh god! I killed my commanding officer! Was I kicked out of the Air Force? _She looked down and saw that she was wearing fatigues. _No, why wasn't I kicked out of the force? Did Dad pull some strings? It was always so important for him that I join . . . Dad . . . Daddy where are you? It's so cold here. Where's Mom? Why didn't she give me a sweater? Mom always gave me sweaters, even when it wasn't cold. _She was confused, and the more she tried to make sense the more she got confused.

  Teal'c look on carefully as MajorCarter's movements slowed and than ceased altogether, a stone still clutched in her unfeeling hands. Her pupils were dilated and her gaze unfocused. The water was now just passed her knees and the meager protection of her boots was now lost. Wading over to the still woman, Teal'c placed his hands on her shoulders and tried to get her attention.  "Major Carter," no reaction. "Major Carter, Samantha . . ." Still nothing. She was running out of time. They were both running out of time. His symbiote did give him some protection but he knew that it would not last much longer. He had felt the creature boost his metabolism to ward off the cold. However such protection came at a price. It was drawing upon energy and strength that was beginning to wane. Soon he too would fall victim to the cold.

If they did not make their escape soon, there would be no escape. With renewed enthusiasm he turned and jammed his staff against a large boulder that had withstood his attempts the previous day. Pushing with all his strength and grunting with the exertion he forced the rock free. It rolled loose; causing another rockslide as the smaller rocks above it hurried to fill the void.

"LOOK OUT!" he yelled as the rocks careened towards Major Carter. He watched in horror as several of them struck her, knocking her off the ledge and into the water with a loud splash.

He dropped his staff and jumped into the water, gasping as its coldness swamped over him. Where was she? Why could he not find her?

He saw a tiny splash and reached under the water to pull her out. All he could do was get her head above water, her body appeared pinned.

"Major Carter?"

She coughed and sputtered blood trickling from a gash high on her forehead. "I…Teal'c I can't…."

He looked down and saw the fear and pain on her face. He tried to let go of her upper body to explore what had her pinned under the water but immediately abandoned the idea as she sank under its surface not having enough leverage to keep herself above the surface.

He placed himself under her and used his chest to push her as far out of the water as he could. "You are pinned. I do not know by what."

She didn't respond but he could feel tremors coursing through her as the cold from the water started to overwhelm her body.

"Teal'c?" she asked, her hand grasping his desperately.

Bracing his feet he took her right hand in his and grabbed for the radio. "O'Neill. We need assistance NOW!" he ordered as he watched the water rise.

'What's wrong?' the colonel demanded.

"Major Carter is pinned and will drown if we can not free her immediately."

'Hang on. The C-4's almost ready. When I tell you duck.'

"Major Carter, you must keep trying. O'Neill will free us soon," Teal'c tried to reassure her.

The water was up to her chin now and he could see her struggling to raise herself higher. He tried to aid her but stopped at her cry of pain. The way her legs were pinned he could not raise her any higher.

"Too late," she muttered through chattering teeth.

"No it is not."

"Promise…promise me you won't die…not like the rest. Don't let them die…promise me," she demanded, digging her fingers into his hand.

"M…Samantha…."

"Don't…don't let them die…." She forced out as the water rose over her nose and mouth. He tried to push her higher as he felt her convulse, her own body at war with itself, desperate to breath and just as desperate not to drown.

"NOOOO!!" he cried as her hand tightened one last time over his…. then went limp.

'Teal'c….FIRE IN THE HOLE' The radio screeched. Barely registering the words he ducked instinctively as a loud roar filled the unnatural stillness of the cave. Through the clear water he could see rocks and debris raining down upon them. There was a flash of brightness and he pushed himself to the surface, dragging air into lungs unprepared for his submersion in water.

"Teal'c?" he heard as the beam of a flash light danced crazily about, illuminating the multitude of rock dust stirred up by the explosion. They glowed an odd rainbow color he thought. "Teal'c?" Rough hands shook his shoulders and he dragged his face away from the dust to see the worried countenance of Jack. "Where's Carter?" The colonel asked desperately.

"I…I have failed…" He looked sadly down at the still form beside him in the water.

Jack's face filled with horror as he realized that the woman wasn't struggling. In the light coming from the now open entrance he could see her white face, oddly still and at peace, her short hair waving gracefully in the tiny currents caused by their movement. "Goddamn it. Get her out of there!" He screamed, pushing past Teal'c to pull her out.

"You can not. She is pinned," Teal'c explained sadly.

"Then un-pin her!" Jack ordered, sucking in a deep breath. Teal'c watched him plunge his head under the water and place his mouth over hers, trying to push some air into her lungs. He broke the surface and gulped in more air. "Help me goddamnit!" he yelled, pushing Teal'c towards the rocks pinning Sam.

Shaken from his stupor, Teal'c waded to the small pile of rocks, pulling them off Sam with little regard to where they went, only knowing that they had to be off her. As he worked Jack kept breathing for her, forcing his way under the surface again and again, seeming not to feel the iciness of the water.

Teal'c moved one last rock and he felt her legs float free. Moving swiftly to her head he helped Jack pull her from the water and towards the cave entrance, slipping and sliding on the mud the whole way.

They made it outside and laid her on the ground. Teal'c moved back uncontrollable shivers wracking his large frame as Jack picked the limp form up, wrapping his arms around her stomach with her back to his front. He watched in amazement as the colonel squeezed her hard several times, each time muddy water gushed from her blue lips.

Certain that he had removed most of the water Jack laid her back down and tilted her head back, pinching her nose shut and breathing into her mouth. He watched her chest rise and fall with each breath.

He then placed his palms down on her chest and pushed down several times. Audible over the sound of his muttered counting, Teal'c could hear the creaking and cracking as the colonel's ministrations squeezed the cartilage and bones of her chest unnaturally thin. It appeared to be a desecration of the worst order. "O'Neill. She is dead," he said sadly.

"No. She is…not dead," the man panted between compressions.

Teal'c shook his head. "I felt her spirit leave."

"God damn it. I'm her commanding officer. She isn't dead until I tell her she's dead. Now shut the hell up or help me," he said angrily.

He had seen such desperation only once before in the man's eyes, when he had ordered him to hold Kawalsky's head within the event horizon. He could not be the instrument of another of O'Neill's friends' deaths. "What should I do?"

"Here. Breathe for her, every fifth compression," Jack said, moving back. "Tilt her head back, pinch her nose and breathe, just until you see the chest rise."

Teal'c did as he was told, not knowing how this could help his friend. Only a sarcophagus could bring the dead back to life.

' Jack.' The radio on Jack's vest crackled to life.

"Daniel…where the hell are you?" Jack asked, pausing in his compressions.

'We're almost there. Janet came just in case…'

"Get your ass here now. Carter's down, we're doing CPR."

'You're what…Colonel. What's the situation?' Daniel started and Janet finished, her voice serious.

"Carter drowned. She's not breathing."

'We're coming.' He could hear the huff in her voice and knew that she was now running towards them.

Tossing the radio aside he resumed his compressions. "You die on me I'll make blue dresses standard uniform," he threatened, his arms aching with the effort.

A few minutes later Janet, Daniel and SG-6 ran into the clearing. The doctor skidded to a halt, dropping to her knees beside him. "How long?" she demanded, reaching in her bag for her stethoscope.

"I don't know," Jack answered as she pushed his hands away, pulling Sam's shirt open so she could listen to her heart.

"Miguel, get in here," She ordered. The Sargent from SG-6 pushed Jack aside as Janet again dug in her bag, pulling out a syringe. "Bag her," she ordered as she administered the drug. Another member of SG-6 pushed Teal'c aside and placed an ambu bag over Sam's face, squeezing air into her lungs. Jack watched as the medic opened a small bag, pulling out EKG leads which he placed on her chest after cutting her shirt open. Even as a layman he knew what the monitor would show. "Charge it," Janet ordered and the medic pushed a button. Jack could hear the whine of an electrical charge building.

"Clear," the tech shouted and Jack jumped as Sam's body jerked in reaction to the electricity passing through it.

"Again," Janet ordered, reaching for more drugs.

"Clear." And again Sam's body jerked.

Jack heard a faint beep and his eyes darted to the tiny screen and its dancing green line. "We have a rhythm," the tech reported.

"BP 100 over 60."

"Stop bagging."

"She's breathing on her own."

They watched as the medics inserted a tube down her throat and inserted an IV in each arm before swaddling her in blankets. "What the hell happened?" Janet demanded of Jack and Teal'c as she moved towards them, gauging each man's condition.

"The cave filled with water and Major Carter was pinned," Teal'c explained as she felt his skin, her face creasing in a frown as she noticed they too were cold and wet.

She nodded distractedly. "You two?"

"Cold but fine," Jack asked, taking the blanket Daniel handed him and Teal'c from their tents. "How is she?"

"Alive. Anything else will have to wait until I can get her back and run some tests," Janet said as the medics began to wrap Sam in blankets and put her in the stokes basket.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jack walked into the infirmary flanked by Daniel and Teal'c, fresh from debriefing Hammond and desperate for word on their friend. Despite the hot shower and a change of clothes he still felt cold. He could still feel the appalling limpness of Sam's body was he and Teal'c carried her out of the cave. Just like so many times before. So many friends he'd lost over the years.

"Doc?' he asked Janet who was standing by Sam's bedside reading her chart. "How is she?" He asked, starting morbidly at the still form of his second in command. She was so pale. Jack swore if it weren't for the reassuring beeps from the monitors he'd think she was dead. It was all too reminiscent of the last time she'd been so ill. She'd come back to life then, surely she could now.

"All things considered, not bad," Janet reported. "We extubated her and got her body temperature raised. There were some bad bruises and a few cuts that needed suturing but nothing too horrendous."

"Why isn't she awake?"

"She's in a coma," the doctor said.

"Coma?"

"It's not as bad as it sounds colonel. Sometimes when the body is traumatized it sort of shuts down until it can sort out the damage," she explained. "Think of it like when your computer gets stuck on something, sometimes you have to hit the reset switch. The human body can be like that. And drowning certainly qualifies as traumatic."

"How about?" Jack motioned towards Sam.

"Brain damage," she answered knowing he was almost afraid to say the words, as if giving them voice would acknowledge their being real.

"Yeah."

"The EEG and CAT scan didn't show anything worse than a mild concussion, but we won't know for sure until she wakes up. Stay as long as you want but don't browbeat my nurses," she warned and walked away.

"We should take turns," Daniel said, claiming the chair by the bed.

A nurse walked up to them. "Sir?" She handed a small plastic box to Jack.

"Lieutenant?"

"Major Carter's effects," she explained. This too was something he was all too familiar with. Dealing with the personal effects of the people under his command. He'd been the one to clean out Charlie' s locker, heck even Daniel's once or twice. Make sure that nothing classified got sent home to the family, or nothing too embarrassing. Although he doubted that he'd have to make sure no girlie magazines were sent to Jacob…Stop, he told himself. She's still alive and sorta kicking. The most he should have to do is stash her stuff until she woke up, maybe keep an eye on her inbox.

He looked down at the contents of the box, a tube of chapstick, some pocket change, her dog tags and most curiously a large rubber spider.

Jack picked up the creature by one leg and dangled it in front of his face. "Last I knew Carter was mildly arachnophobic. Anyone know why she'd be carrying this around?"

Daniel got up and took it from Jack, examining it closely. "A black widow?" he asked pointing at the distinctive red hourglass shape painted on the creature's belly.

"What is this black widow?"

"It's a spider, Teal'c. When the female mates she kills the male. Hence the name. Actually the spider's not the only creature that does this; the praying mantis is the same way. But the spider is the most infamous," Daniel explained. "Its bite is also poisonous to humans."

"Last night while she slept Major Carter dreamed several times. She…expressed great emotions about recent events," Teal'c spoke up, seeming reluctant to betray a confidence.

Daniel looked from the toy in his hand to his friend lying on the bed. "You don't think?"

"Normally no but…." Jack stopped as events of recent weeks showed themselves in a whole new light. How quiet she'd been lately, isolating herself from everyone. Occasional self-depreciating remarks he'd ignored. Normally he'd consider her far too level headed to believe in curses but he knew first hand how grief could mess with your head. And mix that with some survivor's guilt and you get a mess. "We'll deal with this when she wakes up."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Teal'c sat beside the bed listening to the quiet sounds of the infirmary, the soft squeak of rubber soled shoes on concrete, the steady beep of the heart monitor, the low rasp of Sam's breathing.

He had volunteered for the over night vigil, not only because his living on the base made him the logical choice but also in the vain hope that his two team mates would be able to get some rest.

He looked at Sam's hand, lying so still on the sheets. The same hand that had clutched his so desperately just a day before. He picked it up, his fingers tracing the cuts and scrapes from her digging.

It was all his fault that she was lying in that bed, his fault that she'd died. He had pushed her into the cave, then it was his carelessness that had pinned her. If not for O'Neill's tenacity she would be dead right now. He had failed her three times in one day. "I beg your forgiveness Samantha Carter," he whispered, clasping her hand in both of his.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sam felt safe in the nothingness. It was odd but the blackness that surrounded her comforted her. It was warm, quiet and peaceful. She liked it here. How did she get here? It didn't matter. All she knew was that there was no more pain, no more loneliness and that it felt good.

She couldn't hurt anyone here. No jaffa to shoot, no goa'uld wanting to make her a queen or host, no psychotic aliens jabbing her with cattle prods. She could just relax and be herself.

She felt like she was floating in a bottomless tub of warm water. Was this what it had felt like in the womb? Who knows? All she knew was that she didn't want to leave.

Something tugged at her hand and she frowned. Who was disturbing her? Didn't they know some things are best left alone?

She felt it again, pulling her away from the darkness. Leave me alone. I don't want to go. She felt herself flounder in the darkness, starting to fall. She tried to pull her hand free. Why won't you just leave me alone?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Teal'c felt a flutter and looked down. Sam's fingers jerked slightly in his grasp. "Major Carter?" he asked urgently, gripping her hand tighter. He felt her hand move again and he shot to his feet. "Major Carter?" he said louder, taking one hand from hers and grasping her chin.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sam fought the force pulling her, like a riptide away from where she wanted to be. Leave me alone, she yelled jerking her hand as hard as she could. Another force grabbed her head and pulled her away from the comforting warmth of the surface and down to the cold depths. It was killing her. She was going to die. Pain shot through her chest and her legs banged against rocks as it dragged her mercilessly deeper and deeper. No. Leave me alone, please, she begged the force. It ignored her. I don't want to go back. Why can't you just leave me alone?

Her pleas remained unanswered as she was pulled to her doom.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Teal'c stared intently as Sam's eyes fluttered and slowly opened, her mouth opening to drag in a deep breath. He felt himself smile as he saw her try to focus on his face. "Major Carter. I am most relieved that you are awake," he said, not able to hide his happiness.

"No . . . Why? Why . . . " she whispered as her eyes closed again, not seeing the look of anguish that crossed his dark face.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hearing a sound, Daniel looked up from his lap top. "Sam, you're awake," he said, setting the machine aside.

"Daniel?" she whispered.

"Here." He held up a glass and put the straw between her lips. She drank a few sips. "Better? Teal'c said you woke up late last night. Gave him one hell of a scare, heck you scared all of us."

"I don't remember…"

"The cave, you aah, you drowned," he said softly.

She blinked at him and brought her hand up to her chest. "Hurts."

"Yeah, that would be the CPR. I know mine hurt like hell after Janet did it on me."

"CPR? I was…"

"You were dead. What's the last thing you remember?"

"The cave…it was cold…water. There was water." She shook her head slightly.

"Don't worry about it. Janet said you might not remember. Heck I tried to swan dive off my balcony and don't recall a second of it," he reassured her.

"I thought you were going to tell me when she woke up," Janet chided walking up to the bed. "How are you feeling?" She asked Sam, checking her pulse.

"Sore."

"You'll be that for a while. Daniel if you'll excuse us," Janet said dismissing the man.

"I'll go tell Jack and Teal'c that you're awake," he said, giving Sam's hand a squeeze and leaving the two women alone.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Thirty minutes later Janet walked into Daniel's lab. "I thought I'd find you here," she said to the three men gathered.

"What's the verdict doc?" Jack asked.

"As far as I can tell there's no damage. She doesn't remember much after waking up in the cave, but the hypothermia would account for that. Her lungs are clear but I have her on antibiotics just in case. I want to keep her for another twenty-four to forty-eight hours then she can go home," she reported happily.

They watched Janet leave. "What about this?" Daniel asked Jack, holding up the rubber spider. They had all agreed not to mention their supposition to anyone else just yet. There was too great a risk that someone would suggest a psych consult or that it would make it into her record.

"I don't know," Jack said, shaking his head. "I mean we may be blowing it totally out of proportion. For all we know it might be a crank gift or maybe she was planning on sticking it in your sleeping bag." He pointed at Daniel.

"We can't just ignore it. If she honestly thinks she's some kind of curse it's going to keep effecting her," Daniel protested "I mean if I wanted to believe all this crap I'd swear off women forever."

"Perhaps the best course of action would be to wait and see how Major Carter responds now," Teal'c said quietly. "When she makes her needs clear a decision can be made."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

  Her recent characteristic quietness was still wrapped around her like a blanket. She spoke mostly to reassure her guys that she was well. During most of her stay in the infirmary she slept, dreaming of floating in an endless pool of warm water, with her heartbeat the only sound and glowing darkness the only sight.

  She was at peace there, and what little energy she had she spent hating whoever or whatever dragged her away.

  Her hand kept straying down to her hip, unconsciously searching for a pocket and her talisman. She missed it in a weird twisted way. It served to remind her of what she had done, as if she could forget. And no matter how much she hated it, or how it made her feel, it was punishment, and she deserved it, needed it, and it felt wrong not to have it within reach.

  Teal'c had yet to say anything about almost dying because of her, he was too much of whatever the equivalent of a gentleman there was for a Jaffa, but that didn't mean he didn't think it. He had probably already asked for a transfer from SG-1, or more likely had requested that she be transferred. She was probably considered too dangerous to be put on another team. That was ok, she'd stay in her lab and try to do as little damage as possible and maybe, just maybe, she could still be of some value to the program.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

  Teal'c gazed at Samantha from the doorway, uncharacteristically nervous. He had visited her since she woke, but never alone, only with DanielJackson or O'Neill. He didn't feel like he could face her pain, once hidden but now that he knew, so obvious, alone. He had visited her once while she slept and the peace on her face had actually frightened him, it was such a contrast to her waking expression that he wondered if the monitors were wrong, if she wasn't in fact dead. It had taken all his will power not to take her wrist in his hand and feel for a pulse, he had dreaded the very thought of waking her.

  The small plastic spider was now in his possession. He hated it for what it represented, the forces in the universe that had pushed his friend beyond her emotional endurance. Samantha was strong, but everyone had their limits, and no one should have to endure so many losses in so little time. He wished her peace but could not think of a way to give it to her.

  She blamed him for her injuries, her words when she first woke proved that. She had been dead for several minutes, by Chulakian law her family could demand his death, all his worldly possessions, his wife, and his son.

  Was this then the punishment on Tau'ri? Would he lose his friend for his mistake?

   Death would be more humane, he decided, for then he would not be forced to experience this guilt.

  Samantha sighed and turned her head towards him. Quickly, stealthily, he ducked out the door before she could see him, but not before he saw her pain.

  This must be stopped, he thought angrily, This must be fixed . . . for her sanity as well as his own. 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

  It was all set, white candles were scattered around the room while a single black one stood in the middle of a circle. Next to it were all the things needed for the ritual. A small jar a quarter-filled with various oils, a piece of parchment with an ancient blessing written on it, a blank piece of paper, a pen, and the plastic spider. He would help Samantha exorcise her demons and then bind them so that they could no longer hurt her.

  He hoped she would agree to undergo the Cleansing. He feared for her if she refused. He had seen many friends die from within because they were too afraid of their fears to face them. He would not allow that to happen to Samantha, already he had been deprived of her smiles for too long. The small shy one while ducking her head when she was embarrassed but pleased, the amused one that made her eyes laugh, and his favorite the one that shone like a million stars in one place. He had never seen anyone with such a smile, and he wondered why the gods would give a woman with such wonderful smiles such a difficult life.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

  Meanwhile in the infirmary Janet was giving Sam final instructions before releasing her. Originally her plans had been to release the major in the morning, but a few coaxing words from a certain Jaffa had changed those plans, for the better she hoped.

  "And remember," she finished. "If you feel tired or unusually cold or hot you come right back ok?"

  Sam nodded, and at the look on Janet's face sighed exasperatingly. "I will! I will."

  "MmmHmmm," Janet wrote something on Sam's chart. "Oh, Teal'c was here earlier. He asked me to ask you to go to his quarters when you get out."

  Sam, who had been looking down at her fingers, looked up suddenly. "Why?"

  Janet looked up at Sam's almost frightened tone.   "He didn't say." The doctor stepped forward and placed her hand on the blonde's shoulder. "Are you all right?" It was the only way she could think of phrasing the question.

  "Fine, fine." Sam jumped off the bed and smiled reassuringly at her friend. "Can I go now?"

  Janet nodded. "Yeah, you're free to go." Sam turned to leave. Suddenly feeling anxious for her friend Janet called out. "Sam!" The blonde turned and looked at the petite brunette questioningly. "I'm here if you need me." Sam gave her a wan smile and continued her journey out of the infirmary. Watching her go, Janet wondered why she felt as though she had just said good-bye.

  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sam walked into the lavender scented semi-darkness, her whole body tense, ready to bolt if need be. Big strong arms wrapped themselves around her, and a familiar deep bass voice whispered in her ear before her fighting instincts could kick in.

  "Be calm Samantha." She tensed, he had never called her that before, the only people who had called her that were dead. She shivered. "You can not be harmed here."

  _But what about you!? _Her mind screamed, but she stayed silent.

  "Come." He guided her toward the middle of the room and gently pushed her down to the floor sitting behind her. He lit the candles in a circle around them, using one candle to light the next. When he was done he had trapped them in a circle of fire. She wanted to run but the flames wouldn't let her. She felt something pressing into her palm.

  "Light it." She looked down at the black candle, long and spiraled. She lit it using the candle directly in front of her.. He took it from her hand and placed it before her. "Look at the flames Samantha."

  _Stop calling me that!_ She screamed internally. _Don't you want to live?_ Unconsciously she started to struggle against his hold. He simply held tighter, his grip firm but comforting.

  "Look into the flame." He ordered. So she did. "Breath deeply." Within minutes she was lying limp in his arms, eyes half closed, half asleep.

  "Tell me of your dreams Samantha." A groan worked its way from her chest, she hadn't been this relaxed in so long . . . "Tell me of the visions that torment your sleep." She shook her head slightly, refusing. "Please?"

  She wanted to refuse, to maintain her privacy, but the comforting darkness of the room made her feel safe. So she spoke, slowly at first, words without emotions, but slowly speeding up until they seemed to escape her uncontrolled, unstoppable. Her fears, her pain, her need. The things that had been eating her up inside, the thoughts that forced her to distance herself from her friends . . .  from everyone.

  She was shaking when she was done, tears rolled down her face unnoticed and her fists clenched in the protective shelter of Teal'c's hands. She was breathing hard and feeling so empty she was nothing but skin. And amazingly enough she felt better.

  "Write down your pain." She looked and saw paper and a pen. She picked up the objects and wrote '_All gone, because of me.'_ She wrote it once for Jonas and once for Martouf. She wrote it once for Narim and again for Orlin. She wrote for Joe and Jolinar. She wrote for Jack and Daniel and Teal'c. She wrote for her father and her brother. She wrote for Cassandra and Janet and Hammond. She wrote for Jona and Thera and Carlin and Tor. And then she wrote in case she had forgotten anyone, and then she wrote because she couldn't bear to stop. She filled both sides of the page and then filled them again until the actual words were lost.

  All the while Teal'c whispered in her ears words she didn't recognize in a language she knew was his. He set his rhythm to her pen's and when she finally stopped, spent,  so did he. She didn't know it was possible to feel so insubstantial, she feared Teal'c's breath would make her collapse.

  She looked at the page in her hand, she couldn't believe so much pain could come from one person. Suddenly she felt repulsed by the piece of paper in her hand, and wanted nothing but to get rid of it. With one hand she crumpled it into a ball and readied to throw it away, but Teal'c stopped her. Instead he moved her hand over a jar. He dropped a piece of parchment into the container, she followed his example and watched as the ball of paper soaked up the oils in the jar and became mush.

  She almost jumped when he dropped something in her hand. Her spider . . . her black widow, her plastic demon. She knew what he wanted her to do, but she hesitated, afraid to give up the pain she knew so well.

  "You are not giving them up by releasing your pain." Teal'c murmured in her ear. "You have mourned long and hard." He once again moved her hand to the jar. "It is time to let go." Her hand shook, her fingers opened slightly. "Let go." So she did.

     Her relief made her light-headed, she was aware of what went on around her but only as an observer. She felt as Teal'c moved her hands and guided her to close the jar and seal it with the melted wax from the black candle. She saw how he snuffed out the rest of the candles and moved her to his bed.

  He fed her honeyed bread and sweetened milk and whispered soothing words as she drifted in and out of sleep. Exhaustion extinguishing the urge to ask any questions she might have had. And when she finally surrendered to sleep it was with the certainty that her dreams would be peaceful.

  When she woke up hours later Teal'c was mediating in front of her candle, a statue of strength.

 "Is it over?" She asked quietly, her voice loud in the still room. Teal'c got up and extended his hand toward her. Before she knew what was happening they were on top of the mountain. It was just before dawn, the eastern sky barely tinged with color, the last few stars twinkling merrily. Distantly she wondered how long she had slept.

  "Bury it."

  Sam looked down at her hands, she was holding her jar of demons. She knelt on the soft dewy earth and dug a hole placing the jar inside. Before she covered it Teal'c sprinkled a handful of seeds around the jar, circling it with the chance of life.

  "Now it is over."

  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Daniel walked bleary eyed into the commissary. He made his way through the small early morning crowds and found the coffee machine, guided by memory and smell. It was a good thing they were grounded for the time being. Right now he'd be lucky to actually make it up the ramp without falling asleep on his feet.

He'd been unpleasantly surprised to wake up this morning his head on his desk and his sleeve damp with drool. Lately he'd been working to make all night sessions the exception rather than the rule. Than again he'd also gotten used to Sam coming along long about midnight to see if he'd walk her to her car, which was really her sneaky way of getting him to go home. Unfortunately with her still in the infirmary he'd plodded along, not noticing the halls getting quieter and emptier as the witching hour came and left.

Remembering that Janet should discharge her this morning, he made a note to swing by the infirmary and see what he could do.

"All of them are dead," he heard a Sargent say to her three tablemates.

"All of them?" Another asked skeptically.

"Every last one. There's the ex-fiancé, the old boy friend, two other boy friends, the members of her team in two other universes plus the ones in this universe a time or three. And every time she's the sole survivor. It's a curse, like she's a black widow or something," the woman said cattily.

Daniel paused and felt anger well up in his chest. How dare they? Stupid talk like this was the reason his friend was in this mess. Resisting the urge to tear into the woman right here, which wouldn't help matters much, he left the room, his mind working furiously. Oh yeah, he though as he savagely punched the button for the elevator. He knew just the thing.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You wanted to see me sir?" Daniel looked up to see the Sargent from the commissary standing in the doorway. Showtime.

"Yes Sargent, thanks for coming. I aah…I needed some help moving some stuff and your friends said you might be interested. Would you mind giving me a hand?" He asked, putting every note of cajoling he could muster into his voice.

"Aah sure sir. What do you need me to do?" He watched her blush and fought to keep a straight face. And they thought he had no idea about his effect on the female contingent of the base.

"The artifacts on that shelf need to be packed up. I need to have it done to be sent off to Nellis today but I also HAVE to get this translation done by 1pm. Could you help me?" He pointed out a shelf of statues and a plastic crate on the floor half filled with packing material.

"Sure, I'd be glad to Doctor Jackson." She started towards the shelf.

"Just be careful, those artifacts are priceless," he said as she began to carefully pick up the statues and pack them away. He bent over his translation, glancing up every few minutes to check her progress. A shattering crash punctuated by a shocked gasp made him jump.

"I am so sorry," she exclaimed her hands going to her face.

"Sargent, that's ok. Stuff happens." He crossed to her. "No use crying over broken…Oh my God!"

"What?"

"The Indeira Statue, You broke the Indeira Statue."

"I…"

"Oh Sargent this is bad."

"Bad? What? I?"

Daniel knelt down and gingerly picked up the pieces. He turned to face her, his eyes wide. "You shattered the base. This is so bad."

"I didn't mean…," she said, tears welling in her eyes.

"Oh I'm sure it'll be ok Sargent."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I mean I'm sure they're just stories."

"Stories?"

"You hear these things all the time," he shrugged.

"Things?"

"Coincidences I'm sure. I mean folks disturb nests of killer bees every day."

"Bees?"

"And of course people get sick all the time."

"Right."

"Though Denghi Fever is a little rare."

"Denghi Fever?" Her voice rose in pitch.

"Just coincidences. I mean there's no such thing as a curse."

"Curse, sir?"

"You mean you don't know? The Indeira Statue is said to contain the spirit of a powerful ruler. He swore that anyone who disturbs his rest will die."

"Die?"

"Well, yeah. You broke the statue…but I'm sure it's nothing," he dismissed, getting to his feet, a few pieces of pottery in his hands. He walked past her, negligently tossing the pieces on his desk. He was oddly pleased to see her jump as they clattered across the surface. "You can just call maintenance to clean that up. It doesn't matter now, the genie's out of the bottle." He picked up his pen silently chuckling as she bent over and picked up a piece, gasping as she caught a rough edge and cut her finger.

She stared at the bit of blood on her finger then hurried over to him. "Doctor Jackson?"

"Huh? What? I thought you'd left."

"No, sir. I…you know so much about this stuff right?"

"They don't keep me around just for my looks."

"Right. I  mean…" She took a deep breath. "Let's say if there was a curse, I mean not that I believe there is one, but if there was, there'd be a way to break it right?"

"Ooh I suppose. There's actually as many ways to break a curse as there are curses." He settled back in his chair, his pen in his hands. "There's the reverse curse, where you curse the curser back, though that won't work here since he's dead. There are charms and talismans although we'd have to find a shaman or witch doctor for those. Then of course there is simple atonement."

"Atonement?"

"Yeah. That's where you apologize for starting rumors and promise never to do such hateful things again," he said meaningfully, looking her in the eyes.

"Doctor Jackson?"

"The only curse that's plaguing this facility is a bunch of small minded people who have nothing better to do than waste their time making up stories to entertain others over their morning coffee. And if I found out about it you can be sure it's only a matter of time before other members of this base find out. Members who have a particularly fanatical and creative approach to revenge and who have the clout to get a certain Sargent stationed… oh Antarctica sounds good. It's actually not bad right now; it's only –10. Wait a few months until it gets really cold," he said, getting to his feet and looming over her.

She at least had the grace to look chastised. "I understand, sir. I'm sorry, it won't happen again."

"It better not or you're going to find out just how many connections this civilian has. Now why don't you get out of my office before you break something really important."

Daniel watched her scurry from the room, taking care to make sure she was well and truly gone before breaking out into a big grin. Score one for the geek.

"Do I have glowing eyes or something?" Daniel turned to see Jack entering the room, a puzzled look on his face.

"I really hope not. Why?"

"Because I just passed Sargent Fincham in the hall and she almost killed herself trying to get away from me. Hey, that looks familiar." Jack bent over and picked up one of the broken pieces. "Isn't this one of those cheap knock offs you got from secret Santa last year?" He asked, rubbing his fingers together. Vegetable oil? What would the statue be doing covered in vegetable oil?

"You know, it's more valuable than you think. What's got you here so early?" Daniel asked, taking the piece from him. He'd really have to glue it together. It might be a cheap piece of crockery but Judy had meant well.

"Carter's getting sprung and since we all technically have the week off I thought we could head over to my place, hang out, maybe get her to tell us what we did so we can grovel and get back to normal," Jack said with a shrug.

"As fun as that sounds do you really thing kidnapping her is going to make her want to talk? You know Sam, she'll open up when she's ready."

"Come on, Daniel. She's been through a lot of crap in the last year, we all have."

"Yeah. We all have. How would you react if I came up to you and said, 'Jack, I know the last year has sucked and that you hate talking to anyone but I'm afraid if you don't you're gonna crack and end up in MacKenzie's little rubber room'?"

"I'd say it's none of your business but you have no idea how much it means for me to know that you care." A feminine voice said from the doorway, causing both men to spin, their faces flushing as they saw Sam and Teal'c standing in the doorway.

"Carter."

"Sam. I though you were still in the infirmary," Daniel said, shooting Jack a guilty glance.

"Obviously. So what are you two up to?" She asked, stepping into the room.

"Ooh. Well, we aah…"

"What Daniel is trying to say is that we all have the week off and we were trying to come up with something to do," Jack finished, locking eyes with Teal'c who nodded slightly.

"I don't suppose that something includes food?" Sam asked innocently, sitting down in Daniel's chair fighting the urge to put her feet up on the desk. Her injuries were still healing and the bruises on her legs and her ribs really hadn't been ready for a hike up a mountain. Not that she regretted it in the slightest. She hadn't felt this good in months.

"We could probably manage that," Jack said, sitting on the desk. He'd have to hand it to the big guy. Whatever he'd said or done, it had obviously worked.

"Major Carter has expressed the desire to consume nourishment," Teal'c said.

"He means I'm starving. And not for commissary food. And since Janet won't let me drive yet and Teal'c refuses to drive my car…"

"If you didn't drive a refugee from Munchkin Land…"

"Colonel, at least I don't take up two parking spaces."

"I do not."

"Yes, Jack, you do," Daniel cut in. "So Jack can drive us to breakfast, then what?"

"I believe O'Neill has not seen the continuation of Star Wars," Teal'c said his eyes sparkling.

"You haven't seen Empire either?"

"No. I am not spending my day off listening to Teal'c recite all the lines…"

"Daniel didn't you tell me the colonel got a new TV?" Sam said.

"Yep. Biggest TV they had in the store. It took four of us to unload it."

Teal'c stood back and watched his team bicker and tease feeling a wave of contentedness sweep over him. None of them were perfect, they each carried heavy burdens of loss and responsibility, but as long as they had each other to share those burdens with, they weren't too heavy after all.

Fin


End file.
